1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable load retainer and retention means for use in a transport vehicles and, in particular, to an adjustable load retainer that can be moved to various locations within the transport vehicle to divide and retain the load but cannot be readily removed from the transport vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to have load dividers or retainers. Previous dividers have been sheets of wood such as plywood. Unfortunately, these sheets become lost over a period of time and must be replaced. Also, these sheets have no retention characteristics and do not prevent the load from shifting. Another known manner for retaining a load within a transport vehicle is to use spring-mounted rods that extend between support tracks on opposing walls of the transport vehicle. The support tracks are affixed to the side walls of the transport vehicle at particular heights, each support track on one side wall having a corresponding support track on the other side wall. The tracks extend from front to back of the transport vehicle and have a series of circular openings along their entire length. The circular openings of the support track on one side of the transport vehicle are aligned with and correspond to the circular openings of a similar track on the opposite side of the transport vehicle. Compressible spring-mounted rods can be extended between the opposing side walls with each end of the rod being located in one circular opening on either side of the transport vehicle. Often, there are three tracks on each side wall, said tracks being spaced approximately an equidistance from one another. Thus, when a load is placed in the transport vehicle, three rods can be placed in the same vertical plane to retain the load in position and separate it from a load to be subsequently placed within the transport vehicle to the rear of the first load. Since there are a series of circular openings in the tracks, the rods can be located in virtually any position along the length of the transport vehicle. Unfortunately, these rods are unsatisfactory in that they too can become lost and therefore must be replaced. Also, depending on the type of load that the rods are used to retain, parts of the load are able to pass between adjacent rods. Further, it takes some time to install the rods as three separate rods must be picked up and inserted into the appropriate openings. Also, there is no convenient location for the rods within the transport vehicle while the truck is being loaded or unloaded and the rods can constitute a hazard if stepped on.